Elizabeth Taylor: "I Loved Michael With All My Soul"

Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor on September 7, 2001.Credit: KMazur/WireImage.com

Elizabeth Taylor -- a dear friend of Michael Jackson, who originally called him the King of Pop and more recently supported him through all of his legal troubles -- was at first too devastated to release a statement about the singer's death but has since expressed her grief to Usmagazine.com.

"My heart, my mind... are broken. I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him," Taylor, 77, said in a statement to Us Thursday. "We had so much in common and we had such loving fun together. I was packing up my clothes to go to London for his opening when I heard the news. I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so."

"He will live in my heart forever but it's not enough. My life feels so empty. I don't think anyone knew how much we loved each other. The purest most giving love I've ever known. Oh God! I'm going to miss him. I can't yet imagine life without him. But I guess with God's help... I'll learn. I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself, which says, 'To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And, I will love HIM forever."